Welding system and method



@Bume M 1935., J, p TARBQX 2 @4 619 WELDING SYSTEM AND METHOD Griginal Filed March 2'7, 1951 INVENTOR.

Patented June 11, 1935 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,004,619 y WELDING SYSTEM AND METHOD John P. Tarbox, Philadelphia, Pa., assignor to Edward G. Budd Manufacturing Company, ,Philadelphia, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania 4 Claims. (Cl. 2l9-4) My invention relates to a method and system of control for electric spot welding having adaptation especially to extremely instantaneous welding. They are moreover particularly adapted for extremely instantaneous indirect welding, the term indirect here being applied to those welds in which action and reaction to the electrodes cannot by reason of the construction of the work be absorbed fully within the welding apparatus as well as those welds in which for similar reasons the electrodes may not directly oppose each other on opposite faces of the work.

The present application is a division of my earlier application filed March 27, 1931, Serial Number 525,674 for Method and system of control for electric spot welding. The main object of the invention which is the subject matter of that application is the achievement of control of the brief period of current application through continuously rotating contact devices whereby mechanical and electrical inertias are wholly eliminated from influence upon the accuracy with which the extremely instantaneous time intervals are measured.

The object of the present invention, the achievement of indirect instantaneous spot welding, is attained by utilizing welding electrodes in the manner of an anvil and hammer, the hammer blow of which develops the maximum welding pressure, and so coordinating or simulating synchronism between the hammer blow of the one electrode toward the other and the instantaneous application of welding current that the contact surfaces to be welded together are fused under those initial and final pressures,

the latter of which are developed particularly by the hammer blow which will secure an efiicient instantaneous weld. Such co-ordination and simulated synchronism are attained through control of the hammer blow mechanism by the same continuously rotating timing apparatus through which the extreme instantaneous time periods are measured free of mechanical and electrical inertia.

The accompanying drawing discloses my invention diagrammatically, being a complete diagrammatic illustration of the system and apparatus.

The welding circuits are derived from a transformer I0 having a primary H and a secondary l2. Connected with the opposite terminals of the secondary l2 are an anvil type electrode l3 and a hammer type electrode H. The anvil type I3 is adapted for holding by an operator interiorly of the work l5 as, for example, interiornected with the continuous peripheral conductly of the hull of a flying boat to be made of metal, or interiorly of the body of another vessel. It is characteristic of such bodies that their outer covering is of such expansive and all inclusive nature that it becomes impracticable to effect 5 mechanical interconnection for direct reaction between the inner electrode l3 and the outer H. Similar situations exist where the one electrode I3 is required to make connection at a point remote from the axis of the other H. m The electrode I4 is the more conventional type, rod-like in form and adapted through an extension shank l6 and hand-grip ll for direct manual application to spots on the exterior of the work at which it is desired to weld. The

constructions and forms and even the functions 15 I of these parts may be varied to considerable extent in accordance with the variations in the work and the degrees of initial pressure to be applied.

The primary I is energized from a source of 20 power l8 connected with the transformer through a line switch l9 over a circuit designated generally 20 throughout the diagram. This circuit 20 is opened and closed by the instantaneous time switch apparatus, the principal elements of which 25 are the relatively high speed commutator 2 the relatively low speed commutator 22 and the welding circuit enabling apparatus designated generally 23. The welding circuit 20 includes fixed and adjustable contact brushes 24, 25 as 30 sociated with contact 26 on the high speed commutator 2| connectible in series with brushes 21 and 28 cooperating respectively with segments 29 and 30 on the low speed commutator, by means of enabling circuit breaker contact 3|.

The high speed commutator 2| is driven by a variable speed electric motor 32 capable of very high speed through the diagrammatically illustrated shaft 33, the speed of the motor 32 being 40 variable by a rheostat 34. The segment 26 carried by commutator 2|, the main body of which 35 is of insulating material, is of varying peripheral extent being peripherally long at one extremity and peripherally short at .the other, 45 tapering substantially uniformly from one end to the other. Its one edge 36 is parallel to the axis of the commutator while its other edge 31 is oblique thereto. Segment 26 is permanently coning ring 38 to which fixed brush 24 continuously supplies the primary potential. The relatively movable brush 25 is movable along an axially extending screw 39 axially fixed in position, but rotatable to axially adjust brush 25 by a crank 55 48 or equivalent means whereby the brush 25 may be adjusted axially of the commutator 2| to co-act with any axial portion of segment 26 and thereby vary the peripheral extent of contact between itself and segment 26. The time of closure of circuit 28 is by this means adjustable through a wide range of instantaneous time intervals. With the motor 32 capable of say 3600 R. P. M. and having a speed variable to any desired extent through rheostat 34 or its equivalent, the time of closure of the primary circuit at high speed rotary contacts 24, 25, 26 may be varied with extreme fineness over an extremely wide range of extremely high speeds.

Relatively low speed commutator 22 is commensurately geared to shaft 33 through reduction gearing 4| connected with a shaft 42 on which commutator 22 is mounted. This commutator bears four rotary contacts, the one 28 already mentioned as in the welding circuit 28 and angularly continuous, another 38 likewise in the welding circuit 28 having an are slightly greater than the value commensurate with the maximum extent 0 of segment 26 on commutator 2| is substantially equal to the ratio of the reduction of gears 4|. Further, commutators 2| and 22 are commensurately geared together and the gears 4| in such mesh that whenever brushes 25 and 28 contact respectively with the arcs b and c of the segments 38 and 26, the making of such contact and its breaking will occur substantially at the same time. -On the part of contact 38, however, the are I) occupying this synchronized and commensurate relation to the are c, is slightly added to at both ends whereby brush 28 makes and breaks contact slightly ahead of the brush 25 and segment 26.

The contact 3| of the enabling apparatus 23 is normally open, the electro-magnet 46 is provided for closing it and thereby enabling the welding circuit 28. The circuit of electro-magnet 46 is designated generally 41. It is made from a push button 48 which derives its potential from a brush 41a which coacts with the segment 43 of commutator 22. Circuit 41 so made extends through the normally closed contact 48a of a relay 48 of the enabling apparatus 23, a function of which is to open and hold open circuit 41 at contact 48a so long as push button 48 is held down. Relay 48 -is initially energized over circuit 58- from a make contact 5| on the electro-magnet 46. Being energized it looks itself up over circuit 52 made by its own locking contact 53 and extending through a normally open back contact 54 associated with the push button 48. But simultaneously with the energization of its lockout relay 48 enabling electro-magnet 46 closes two locking circuits, the one 55 from its contact 56 by way of circuit 41 to segment 43 and the other 51 by its contact 58 to the circuit 28 emanating from segment 38 and constituting a part of the primary welding control circuit 28.

The segment 44 controls through an angularly adjustable brush 58 the circuit 68 of an electrom'agnet hammer actuator associated with the hammer type electrode l4. A coil 6| of this actuator acts on a core 62 slidably mounted on the shank |6 of the electrode I4 and normally held retracted by a coil spring 63, and is adapted upon energization to suddenly throw hammer 62 forwardly into hammer blow impact with the rear end of the. electrode |4. Upon de-energization the magnetic core 62 is retracted by spring 63.

The operation is as follows: To spot weld the work IS, the system is closed to the source of power I8 at switch l8. Crank 48 is turned to rotate screw 38 and adjust brush 25axially to define the time adjudged suitable for the work in hand. Transformer voltage regulator 64 is adjudged to vary the turns ratio of the transformer and therefore the'voltage of the secondary I2 for the current application desired. Through the switch 65 motor 32 of the commutators 2|, 22 is started. Its revolutions are adjusted to the value properly correlated with the time as set by the brush 25, let us now say, to full speed. Thereupon the electrodes 3 and I4 are adjusted manually to opposite sides of the work, one from the interior and the other from the exterior and appropriate initial pressure is applied through bearing on the hand-grip l1 manually or otherwise. Thereupon push button 48 is closed with the following sequence of operation. Circuit 41 is closed at contact 48a from a source of power I8 via that branch of circuit 28 connected with contact 21 and segment 28 of commutator 22, interconnecting conductor 46, segment 43 when or as soon as it contacts with brush 41a, contact 48, contact 48a, electro-magnet 46 and by way of conductor 66 back to the source. Electro-magnet 46 pulls up and then closes up the following circuits: It closes circuit 58 of control lockout relay 48 at its contact 5| from conductor 28 connected with one 'side of the source through the coil of relay 48 and by a conductor 66 to the other side of the source. The pulling up of relay 48 opens the energizing circuit 41 of electro-magnet 46. However, electro-magnet 46 has simultaneously with its closure of circuit 58 of relay 48 closed its locking contacts 56 and 58 thereby first locking itself up over circuit 55 to segment 43 and second, parallelly locking itself up over circuit 61 to circuit 28 at its connections with brush 28 and segment 38. Both of these locking circuits are con-' nected with the line through that branch of circuit 28 associated with brush 21 and segment 28, through the interconnection 45, and therefore electro-magnet 46 remains up during the combined total angular movement of segments 43 and 38. Simultaneously electro-magnet 46 closes at its next contact 61 the circuit 68 of the magnetic actuator 6| for the hammer blow electrode H, from the line connected segment 28, conductor 45, segment 44, brush 58, through the actuating coil 6| to the other side of the line 66. And lastly, electro-magnet 46 closes its contacts 3| and thereby enablesthe welding circuit for a welding operation. Co-ordinately as brushes 68 and 28 respectively engage segments 44 and 38 electro-magnet 6| of the hammer blow electrode 7 ings of the parts are such that welding current and the hammer blow may occur precisely at the proper relative moment.

When the weld has been thus made segment 36 passes from beneath brush 28 and the looking circuit 51 of electro-magnet 46 is broken, opening circuit 36 at contact 3|. Inasmuch as the initial energizing circuit 47 is open at contact 48a as long as relay 49 is energized, the circuit 26 is disabled the moment segment 36 passes from beneath brush 26 and may not again be enabled until manual control contact 48 is released and unlocks relay 49 at its back contact 54. After this is done the contact 48 may again be made for a repeat operation. No matter how many revolutions commutator 2| may make or how many commutator 22 may make, but one weld can be made per actuation of the main control 48 or per actuation of electro-magnet 46 and its lockout relay 49, therefore but one spot weld may be made per operation of the welding circuit enabling apparatus 23.

The relative angles covered by segments 43 and 36 are such that brush 41a does not contact with segment 43 during the principal portion of the dwell of brush 28 on segment 36. Thereby it is impossible to energize electro-magnet 46 during the simultaneous contact of brushes 25 and 28 respectively with segments 26 and 36. This means that a weld cannot be initiated in such relation to the primary high speed timing contacts 25, 26 as to foreshorten the adjusted period. However, as has been noted segment 36 is extended beyond the arm b commensurate and synchronized with the are c of segment 26 by an angle a and furthermore to overlap by an are d the trailing end of segment 43. The overlapping angle d insures effective transfer of the lookup of electro-magnet 46 from the initial locking circuit 41 to the welding circuit lockup 51. The angle a over the welding are I) insures adequate time for electro-magnet 46 to operate fully before the brush 28 commences to traverse the commensurate and synchronized are I), which travel is precisely within the maximum time of the weld as determined by the are 0. At the leaving end of the segment 36 as respects brush 28 there is an angle e of commutator revolution in which neither brush 28 nor brush 47a contacts with a segment. This allows for a complete break of circuit 26 at the leaving end of contact 36 and a complete restoration of electro-magnet 46 before brush 41a engages again with segment 43 whereby a welding period once made may not be unduly prolonged through succeeding energization of electro-magnet 46. A further safeguard against this is the clean high-speed break of circuit 26 at the rectilinear leaving edge 31 01 the high-speed timing contact 36. Indeed the initial opening of circuit 26 may be altogether achieved at the rectilinear axial leaving edge 36 of the high-speed contact 37, or by this edge 36 in conjunction with the leaving end of segment 36. If the conjunctive action be not desired, then the leaving end of segment 36 may be extended somewhat beyond its commensurate position as defined by the arc l2 and the idle are e extended accordingly. When times are adjusted by movement of brush 25 to be measured by arcs of segment 26 less than the full are 0, brush 25 makes contact with segment 26 behind the commensurate position of brush 28. at the inception of arc b, but this is of no moment since it but prolongs the period defined by are a in which the electro-magnet 46 and its lock-out 43 may come fully into action.

The segment 44 while generally co-extensive with the segment 36 may have its ends terminate one side or the other of the ends of segment 36. The important thing is that brush 58 is angularly adjustable whereby to accurately time the relation of closure of circuit 66 of the hammer blow actuator 6| as respects the closure of the welding circuit 26 at the ultimate control contacts 25, 26. This adjustment is efiected by the mechanism 66, shown in diagram as a screw and nut mechanism, and the extent of segment 44 and the extent of movement of the brush 58 is intended to be such that the adjustment will bring about a most efficient timing between the hammer blow of electrode l4 and the application of the welding current over the circuit 26.

Summing up, it will be seen that there has been achieved a method and system by means of which indirect instantaneous welding may be done, by means of which the pressures for such welding may be derived by impact and sustained after the impact with the degree determined by the relative inertias of the parts of the welding apparatus, for the inertias of the anvil l3 and of the hammer blow apparatus in such that the necessary pressures may be attained and sustained for the necessary extremely short periods of the instantaneous weld. Nevertheless the timing of both the welding pressure and the welding current are determined with utmost accuracy without influence from either mechanical or electrical inertia and without lost motions, for there is continuous rotation of the commutators 2!, 22 and the time period through the adjustment of brush 25 when entered upon is free from encroachment from any of these factors. The braking of the welding circuit is at extremely high speed, and snappy and sharp, as brush 25 passes off the edge 31 of segment 26. The time interval range of the apparatus may be large, but it is especially useful in measuring extremely short time intervals. Yet the operation of the manually controlled and enabling apparatus through the low speed commutator not only gives ample time for manual manipulation and for full and electro-magnetic response of the relays 46 and 49 without false operations, but also constitutes an effective unit spot control under which but one weld can be made for one manual manipulation of the manually controlled contact 46.

I contemplate the use of all equivalent electrical means in carrying out the generic spirit of my invention and particularly do I contemplate utilizing each and all electric circuit and contact expedients which may be had in attaining and maintaining in good order of the electrical and mechanical action and reaction.

The terminology l have used is the best now known to me even as the embodiment of the invention I have disclosed is the best now known to me. In order to protect those other embodiments to which the development of the art unavoidably extends the generic spirit of my invention, and their modifications likewise incorporating the generic spirit, the terminology should be given commensurate breadth independent of the present circumstances which determine it.

What I claim is: g

l. A welding system comprising a welding circuit, a pair of relatively movable electrodes in the circuit adapted to include the work between them, means for rapidly moving one of said electrodes into engagement with the work to exert pressure thereon by impact, and switching means synchroby impact supplying welding current during such niaed with the movement of the said one 01 said impact and cutting 01! the welding current sub electrodes arranged to close the circuit during the stantially upon cessation of the impact.

impact. 4. The method of indirect resistance weldin s 2. The method of indirect resistance welding which comprises supplying'the necessary pressure '5 which comprises supplying the necessary pressure by impact supplying welding current after the by impact and welding current substantially only commencement of the impact, and discontinuing during such impact. said supply before cessation of the impact.

3. The method of indirect resistance welding 10 which comprises supplying the necessary pressure JOHN P. 'Ili iRBOX 1o 

